Mutiny twist: Rodda to defect to Super Rugby rival

The Brumbies have emerged as the likely new home for disgruntled Queensland and Wallaby lock Izack Rodda.

While Rodda, and Reds teammates Isaac Lucas and Harry Hockings are stood down without pay for refusing to accept Rugby Australia's proposed 60 per cent wage cut, it has now emerged that Rodda is deeply unhappy with the Reds system and wants out of the club.

It had been speculated that the NSW Waratahs could be in play for Rodda, but News Corp can reveal he has already spoken to players at the Brumbies regarding a potential move to the nation's capital.

Rodda was one of six players granted the option of a six-month sabbatical anytime from 2021-23 as part of the pay-cut deal negotiated by RUPA.

It's believed Rodda is being eyed by Japanese Top League club NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes, who have just signed South African coach Johan Ackerman from Gloucester.

If RA and the Reds agree, Rodda would then move to the Brumbies, though no formal discussions have been had between the club and the player.

Rodda was overlooked for the Queensland captaincy by Brad Thorn earlier this year, with Liam Wright given the title.

It's unclear if that decision alone has caused the friction between Rodda and the Reds, but the feeling now is that he will play no future games for the team.

Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn. Picture: AAP/Dan Peled

The 25-Test Wallaby is contracted with the Reds and RA until the end of 2023, as is Lucas.

It's unclear if Lucas wants to move to another franchise, or wants to take up an overseas offer.

Hockings is off contract so can negotiate a deal overseas.

The trio became the only professional footballers in the country not to accept pay cuts amid the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the Reds to stand them down from training on Monday.

While the Waratahs could do with a lock of Rodda's calibre, NSW coach Rob Penney is not interested in adding to an already tense situation by making a public pitch for the second-rower now.

"It's a really unfortunate situation up there, the landscape's changing for everybody across all sports, so the last thing you'd want to be seen to be doing is being the vulture hanging around a situation like that," Penney said.

"Let's just hope Brad and the group can have some solid resolution.

"Obviously they are very important to Australian rugby and let's hope that they can resolve the issues they've got.

"Certainly I wouldn't want any of those boys leaving the country and not being able to represent their country at some point so from our end we're going to hunt it down."